Dear KMEIA Members

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Harley Mead.

Harley worked nationally and internationally as a composer, conductor and music educator.  His compositions for choral and instrumental ensembles have been widely performed and he received commissions from organisations including the Queensland Music Festival, Brisbane Festival, the Australian National Choral Association (ANCA) Honours Programme and the Australian Boys Choir.

Harley was a passionate music educator with seemingly boundless energy. He worked in a number of schools and his enthusiasm for music motivated and inspired many students. Harley’s teaching in the classroom was acknowledged and lauded in a number of circles, and he received many awards for his achievements in this field.  His proficiency with the Kodály pedagogy was recognised at the state level when his classroom work was included in the QSA exemplar module videos. After completing his Masters in Music Studies (Kodaly emphasis) at the University of Queensland Harley established several excellent Kodaly inspired music education programs and choral ensembles.

Above all, Harley was highly regarded for his ability to inspire and foster a love of music in all students that he taught.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Harley’s family and friends.

Kind regards

Joel Copeland
National President
Kodály Music Education Institute of Australia Inc.
Affiliated National Institutional Member of the international Kodály Society